Marker and process of making it



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PAPER BACKLNG SPHERES4 Patented Nov. 1l, 1947 .einen tiiiill STATES' APATENT @Hiwit y e 2,430,534 i Mannen AND rimosse or MAKING rr Gilbert Roan, Huntingdon, Pa.

Application September Z7, v1939, Serial No. 296,845

Claims. (Cl. l1- 33) p small reflecting or decorative material on a sur face by the utilization pf adhesives,V reflecting pigmented binders, mechanical frames andthe like. These methods of applicationand the resuits produced were not always satisfactory loi the applications' of these materialswcre the' main applied on the job to the finished object and hence were not always made under the best.

conditions. When the applications o'fytliesev rna-` terials were not made on the jobjit was neccesary to utilize some base such as a metal base in the case ofsigns or a wooden base in the case oi' signs and markers, a cloth base in the case Ol lamp shades andmovie screens and other bases.

In the ilrst case,` the results Were not always sati isiactory as conditions werenot always optimum in the eld and in the second case, while the results may have been more satisfactory, yet they were expensivel as it was necessary to include some base for holdingtlie reflecting material,`

which base `served no useful purpose in the field.

For example, prior to the` instant invent-ion,`

if it were contemplated to apply the reflecting material to the back of an automobilev truck body, it was necessary to apply an adhesive such as a reflecting pigmented binderdirectly to the truck body in the field and then apply the small glass spheres to the reflecting binder while the same was in a wet or semi-wet condition. The woric. being in a vertical position, ity was relatively diiiicult to satisfactorily apply the glass spheres as compared with a job in which thework is held in a horizontalposition. lWhen the same job was to be done in the factory instead vof inthe field, the reflecting indicia or sign or sheetvmaterlal .must be .mounte'd upona base rwhich later must be mounted .upon thebackof a truok'in the field and this' procedure necessitated the use of extra materi'aisuch as a base which serves no purpose afterthe application has been made in the eld.

In some lnstancesit is essential that the completedwork be as light in weight as' possible and accordingly if theobjeet to be `decorated or upon 1- which the signisto be made cannot be worked on in the eld, a basewill have'to be made' which basernustbe applied to the object increasing its total weight by the weight of the base or the obf ject will have to be decorated in the eld with .accompanying unsatisfactory results because of conditions existing in the field which are relatively pooras compared with conditions in the factory.`

It is an object ot the instant invention to provide a sheet material consisting of a reflecting hinder loaded with refracting or decorative media which can be handled Without atbase for the binder or with arelatively inexpensive or light,-

'weight base. which sheet materialv is capable of ready application to a base in the held.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a novel process for makingtransfer- 4able loaded sheet material. Y,

. It-is another object of the invention to provide la .novel process for loading transferable indicia and insignia with refracting material. `Other objects and the nature and advantages oi the invention will be apparent from the yiol` lowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: y

Fig.' 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for carrying out a process in accordance with the invention;

4Figure lq. is a'sehematicview oi a part ofthe apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 -wlth/additins to modify the same; 1

Fig. 2 is a schematic'illustration ci Aa sheet inaterlal 'with parts out away to` depict various laminae;

Fig, 2a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional l view of the material illustrated in Fig. 2;

. l Fig. 3V is a top planyew; of a sheet of porim grain paper; i

Fig.. 4 is a view l trating the same after the application of a water i similary 'to ing.l e but" inussoluble adhesive;

Fig. 5 is a planview of the sheet in Fig. Il

l Aalter a ground coatfoiA enamel hassbeenapplied 40.; e

Fig. G is a view of the laminated sheet of Fig. 5 after anadditionalfeoat ol enamel hasbeen applied; A i .l 1 Fig. 'I is a viewof the material of Fig. 6' after a sillcsereen'havingindicia `out out therefrom hasbeenappliedthereover; f

Fig. '8 is a view offthe laminas of lis.I Latter a `binder coathas been applied through the cut out portions of the silk screen; i

. small glass spheres have, been, incorporated-vinthe binder'coat; l" i y Fi-g. 10 is a view of .thematerialfin Fig.' 9l after "soaking `andwith the enamel andlnsignia 'thereen partially removed from the paper backf;

back side;

Fig. 1.2 is aview similar to Fig. 1l. after a sheet aasaeea 1 of wax paper has been applied over the adhesive; and

7a is a view similar to Fig. 7 but of a modified form of silk screen which may bev used in the process when it is desired that the ing dicia or insignia be unloaded and the space thercabout be loaded, such as for example with small glass spheres.

Referring to Fig. i, a roll of porous paper 20 is unrolled in the direction of the arrow and passed through rollers 2| and 22 which rotate in the direction illustrated. A water soluble adhesive is metered from the container 23 to the roller 22 which applies the said water soluble adhesive to the upper surface of the porous paper which then passes vthrough the drier 24 which may take any suitable form. For example, it may be an air drier or a baking oven or any other drier known in the art. through the drier 24, the sheet paper coated with water soluble adhesive is passed through the rollers 25 and 26 which rotate in the direction of the arrows. A ground or base coat of enamel is applied to the laminated sheet at this stage of the process by the roller 26 which receives the enamel ony its exterior surface from the reservoir 2l. -The enameled laminated sheet is then passed through the drier v28 to between the rollers 29 and 30 which rotate in the direction shown. The reservoir 3| dispenses a second coat of enamel to the roller 30 which meters the same on to the surface of the laminated sheet which is then passed through the drier 32. lThe laminated sheet then receives a binder coat. Iwhich may be reflecting, from ythe roller 33 which'togethcr with the roller 34 act to pass the laminated sheet therebetween. The binder material is dispensed to the roller 33 from the reservoir 35. V

The laminated sheet having its top wet laminae of binder material is then coated with glass spheres dispensed from the container 36. The loaded laminated sheet is then passed through the final drier 31. At it is Asometimes desirable to merchandise the laminated sheet on a paper base, the process may be complete at this point. When the material thus completed is used in the field, the paper may or may not be removed. When it isA desired that the paper be removed, the laminated sheet is soaked in water, causing the watersoluble adhesive to releaseits bond between the paper and the enamel and the lamina sans/the paper sheet may then be applied while wet to a base in the field, 'when conditions are such as to make this procedure desirable. v,

In some instances, however, it is desirable to remove the porous paper in the factory andfaccordingly the laminated sheet after it leaves the drier 31 is then passed over a roller 38 to the water bath 39 under the rollers 40 and 4I which are submerged in the water bath and then upwardly over the roller 42 above the water bath. After the laminated sheet has passed through the bath 30 the loosened porous paper is then threaded on to the roller 43 and is wound up into a roll 44 which may then be used over again in the place of roll 20. The remainder of the laminated sheet is then passed between the rollers 45 and 46 to effect continuance of movement. Between-the roller 42 and the rollers 45 and 4G, a spray 4l may be arranged beneath the laminated sheet to spray thereon a coating which becomes adhesive uponbeing activated. Inexpensive wax paper may be unrolled from roll 48 After passing and passed between the roll 45 and the underside of the coated laminated sheet passing under the ,roll 45. The finished product 49 may then 'be wound into roll 50 for subsequent use as desired.

Whereas the bath contains water, it is to be understood that it is within the spirit of the i11- vention to substitute other adhesivesfor the water soluble adhesive in the container 23 but that the material in the bath 3d must be of a nature which will dissolve such adhesive. It is to be further understood that though two ground coats are dispensedfrom the reservoirs 30 and 3i, one of the said coatsmay. be omitted or more than two coats may be applied. It is also to be understood that the binder from the container may be reflectingor non-reilecting depending upon the use to which the finished material is to be put, The container 38 is adapted to dispense small transparent glass spheres, other reflecting or refracting particles, or other decorative particle media. The adhesive from the spray 4l may be of the character which is adapted to be activated by petro benzol, gasoline, water or the like or the adhesive may be in a condition of tackiness such not to require an activator. When the iinished product is to be used, the inexpensive wax paper is stripped therefrom, the adhesive activated if necessary and the laminated sheet applied to asurface in the field as required. When the application is made, eareshould be taken that the edges of the nished product are carefully sealed so as to preclude the formation ot air pockets. v

When it is desired that the finished product be formed on its top surface with the loading media arranged in .the .form of indicia or patterns an endless flexible stencil 5i, see Fig. 1c, is rotated by the rollers 52, 53, Eiland in the direction shown, whereby the stencil will pass between the rollers 33 and 34, receive its application of binder material and then beneath the container 3G vto receive its application ot loading media. The remainder of the apparatus and the process is similar to that shown in and described in connection with Fig, 1.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 2a which illustrate the finished sheet material and its laminac after it leaves the drier 31, the porous paper 56 forms the removable base, the lamina 5l is the soluble adhesive, the lamina 58 is the first enamel ground coat, the lamina 59 is the second ground coat, the lamina 60 is the loading media binding coat and the lamina 6| is the loading media which may comprise small glass spheres, When glass spheres are utilized, it is preferred that they range in size from 0.005 to 0.040 of an inch. They may all be uniform in size or blended of grades within this range. The enamel laminae, when suchglass spheres are utilized, may range from 0.001 to 0.003 inch in thickness and the binder which may be a reflecting opaque binder may have a wet film thickness of from 0.005 to 0.020 inch when the glass spheres of the sizes mentioned are used.

It is of course to beunderstood that it is'within the scope of the invention to eliminate both of the enamel coats and utilize a reflecting opaque binder of suillcicnt film thickness and strength as to be capable of supporting a total coverage of glass spheres without the aid of any vprimary lamina. It will of course be appreciated that this is not always the preferred procedure as the binder material is exposed to the surface and may have to have some characteristics which make it necessary to utilize an expensive material, Hence, itis only necessary to utilize enough bindy 5 er material as to be capable of satisfactory holdine the loading media with the desired relationship therewith.4 It is necessary, however, if the nished sheet material is to be loaded, that the hundred per cent of the 'sheet material that .is

to be covered be loaded and accordingly, the base.. exclusive oi the porous'paper, mustbe related in strength and thickness to the load to hold the same together after it is removed from the porous paper and ready for use in the iield or otherwise.

Not only may the material in accordance with the invention be made in the form of a continuous sheet, but it is desirable in somo instances, where the finished material is to have a specific purpose such for example when it is a design lor a plaque, or a sign, or a marker of a predetermined size, to use a silk screen process to manufacture the finished sign, insignia or the like with portions of the arcaof the nished mate rial, which may be of a predetermined size. loaded with light reflecting, reflecting or `decorative media and other portions of its area unloaded. The method of loading Aportions of the area of the finished material will be described in connection with Fics. 3 to is inclusive, but thissarne process may be used in connection with the ap paratus shown in'Fig. la.

Rclci'ringto Figs. to l2 inclu'if-fe, ii` is coated with t Fig/e, which i `tu l enamel ground coat it? a porous' Fig. a second ground coat it@ applied around coat le.; lei-lof.` to the laying- .l ict which cut out to make a 'i il for tl Cr and 0, over the laminated ee thus forined. between the application of the successivo coats or laniinac, a drying stop tal place. Through the cut out portions in the silk screen illustrated in Figa and 8, a binder-.coat which may bc rcectillr; character, .is applied over the silk screen., and through the cut out portions` to the laminas it, f-.ee Fig. il. While the binder coat is still wot or is in .a se 'fwct condition, o. loading media 2F23, :auch as srrall` glass spheres, reflecting particles, l'ght r"l 5 g .particles or other dec-f orative me or the laminas. Prior to thc removal ol the paper backing ifll, the binder m5 for the spheres-'or other ending media itil may be air dried or baked to effect a goed hor-' i between the loading media and tho binder. D

when iii; part-r backing lill) is removed, as by in water, the remainder oi' the laminac then boapplicd in the ileld to a surlaceto bca-r the insignia, indicia, fsign or other decorativo emblim. When the glass beads are the loading medio., tlm loc-.dcdlaminac will oe autocollim:1t ing` inv cl'cct as the' beads are only embedded in the reflectionr binder coat to a sufficient depth to coact therewith to effect reiractionand reflection fbc sheet without the paper backing and accordingly, as in Fig. l1, after the paper backing has been removed, an adhesive' iil'l is applied tothe reverse eide of the enamel lamina of the loaded laminated sheet. which adhesive 'is adapted to be activated by petro benzol or thev li-iie and when other adhesives are utilized other corresponding or re lated activators may be used iii association there4 with. "The adhesive may be dried and then waxpaperit applied to the back thereof as shown v or simply the binder coat when suillcicnt ol that It is to. be understoodjthat is appli-cd overI the sill: screen and thro-ual: the openings therein on to the bin-:ler ldli,

in an auto-collimating manner.Y It may be some:

vbase is incorporated on its back.

material is utilized and related in thickness and si ici-l1 to the loading media, so that the entire ...t will be held together even though no other quite different from the ordinary decalcomania 'process which involves soaking to remove the base and the immediate applicationv of the. decalcomania in the lield for otherwise the decalcornania would tear or otherwise be destroyed because of its delicacy and other characteristics. 'f

Not only may the insignialbe loaded,I but it is contemplated in accordance with the invention that' the remainder of the sheet outside* the area of the insignia, indicia or decorated arca be loaded bythe utilization oi a silk screen llll', such as .shown in Fig. 7c., The process involving the utiliz tion of the silloscreen ill issimilar to that described in connectionwith Figs. 8 to l2 inclusive. The-stencil El inFig. la may talee fthe. form of the stencil I fl shown in Fig. 7 or the stencil lt shown in Fig. y7a., when it is desired tliatthc process be continuous.`

It is to be understood that in accordance with the` invc'fntion, the finished article ready. for ap--U- plication in the field, which finished `article has beenl made in the factory or in a convenient 1oca`- tion .with the necessary equipment Vto cifect.

economical production, comprises a sheet oi :binde inc material which may be paint and a loading media over at least a portion `of the area vthereof ond may comprisey nothingA 'elseor additional coats of paint such enamel to baci: up .the binder.` .il l l .i :i 4 The utilization oi? reflecting, bin'dersbcaring auto-colliniating material' such asglass beads has been accepted by highway `authorities for use in the -fabrication of lane lines. on automobile' roads and for the marking .of runways for, airu ports and the like. These lane linesfandmarlrfings have been labricatedin the eld by the application of'a, paint-like reflecting binder to the traffic thercover would render the work unusable.

In accordance with the invention, however,`the entire lane lineor marker maybe fabricated in ay factory andcomprise solelyabinderand glass spheres or' the like withoutfany paperbacking 'or other backing. This material may be rolled,`

transported to lthe cld vandthen unrolled over an application of'tar 'or other adhesive ai'ldjsuthV rIhis process is seqnently rolled to insure sealing of the edges and prevent the formation of air pockets. The iinished marker will be capable of immediate and effective use, will be more efficient because of the better control provided in the factory especially with regard to the dispensing of the beads or glass spheres over the bihdeiythere will be less waste of materials because oi the better control in the factory, the iinished job will be more satisfactory to the user not only insofar as eiilciency is concerned but because of the immediate availability of the line or marker without' danger of its being rendered void because of lack of protection as would otherwise be necessary. The expense, insofar as time and materials is concerned, otherwise necessary for the arranging of the necessary protection subsequent to the laying of a 'fresh line in the field is completely avoided. Because of the fact that the line is brought to the field in rolls, containers for glass spheres and containers lor the binder are unnecessary and are avoided. The finished marker will have effective margins without the use of any special and expensive equipment as is otherwise necessary to effect clean margins. The use of the binder necessary in connection with the layingol aprefabricated line, as described, does not materially add to the expense of the finished marker, as the adhesive may be ol the cheapest type, for example, it may be tar, such as is ordinarily applied to a road surface. It is also contemplated that such prefabrlcated line or marker be applied to a newly constructed road or airport runway wherein the top surface involves tar or the like suchy as is capable of holding the prefabricatcd marker in position after the saine is rolled thereover.

/ It will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes may be made in this de-l vice without departing from lthe spirit of the invention and therelorethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as ,indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of fabricating a sign comprising unrolling a sheet oi paper, applying a water soluble adhesive thereto, drying the said adhesive, applying to the now laminated sheet a coat of enamel, drying said coat ol` enamel, applying to the laminated sheet a second coat of enamel, drying said second coat of enamel, passing a stencil over said laminated sheet, applying a reflecting binder through said stencil on to said laminated sheet, applying a loading media through said stencil on to said binder while the saine is iri a moist or semi-moist condition, orying the binder, soaking the laminated sheet in water to loosen the bond of the soluble adhesive between the paper and the first coat of enamel, and removing the paper from the loaded binder on the enamel base to effect a sign.

2. The process of making an auto-collimating sign includingr the steps set forth in claim 1, the loading media beingsmall glass spheres. thc application oi the spheres' tothe binder involving 4. The process recited 1n claim l, rolling the removed paper backing, passing the remainder of the laminated sheet to a roller, and applying an adhesive to the bottom side of said laminated sheet prior to said roller, permitting said ad.- hesive to dry, and i'eactivating said adhesive in the eld.

5. A lane line decalcomania consisting of a lamina of porous paper, a second lamina of a water soluble adhesive, a third lamina of enamel, a fourth lamina of enamel, a fifth lamina of a reflecting binder, and a loaded surface of glass spheres.

6. A surface marker decalcomania comprising a porous paper lamina, a water soluble adhesive lamina, an enamel lamina, a reflecting binder lamina loaded with small glass spheres.

A surface marker dccalcomania comprising a paper backing, a soluble adhesive, an enamel lamina of from 0.001 to 0.008 ol an inch thick, a rcilecting pigmented 'binder coat oi from 0.005 to 0.020 of an inch wet film thickness, said binder being loaded with glass spheres ranging in size between 0.005 to 0.040 of an inch.

8. The process of fabricating a sign comprising applying a water solubleadhesive coating to a sheet ol porous paper, applying atleast one enamel coat over said adhesive-after the adhesive has been dried, drying the enamel coat, laying a stenciled silk screen over the enamel coat, applying a reflecting pigmented binder over said silk screen stencil, and while the binder is in a moist or semimoist condition loading the same with a plurality of small glass spheres, drying said but a partial enibeddingthereo whereby at least a portion ci' the surlace of tile spheres is exposed.

3. 'llic process recited in claiml, rolling the removed paper backing, passing the remainder' ol the laminated sheet to a roller, and applying an adhesiveA to the bottoni side ol said laminated sheet prior to said roller.

binder, dissolving the adhesive between the paper and the enamel and removing said'paper from 'theV enamel, applying a fresh adhesive 'capable of being dried and later reactivated to the back of the enamel, dryingvthe said fresh adhesive, whereby the dried adhesive may later be reactivated or Ireshened infthe field and the thus formed laminated sheet-applied to a surface or backing in the field.

. i). ".lheprocess recited in claim 8, the sillt'scrcen. stencil having cut out portions corresponding to the. sign,and loadingl thc bindcrwhich corresponds to the sign. l l

10. `The process vrecited in ,claim 8, the sill: screen having cut out portions corresponding to the negative ol the sign, and loading thc binder to ellect a negative of the sign.

GlLBERT RODLI.

incisionsNoris` circo.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numberv Name Date 493,449 lSchmalz Mar. 14, 1893 823,445 `Schramm June 12, 1906 912,171 Rock 1-1.1,- leb. 9, 1909 1,576,562 Voss e Mar.A 16, 1928 1,026,500 Carlson Apr. 26, 1927 1,721,192 y Taibox '1 July`.10, 1929 1,725,199 Kuhn 1-1-1- Aug. 20, 1929 1,879,799 Glacscl 1 Sept` 27, 1932 1,998,053 IvlcBurney Apr. 16,1035 2,007,404 f Mcliaurin July 9, 1935 2,043,414 Korlf June 9, 1936 2,143,946v Hunter Jan. 17, 1939 2,218,909 Gill l Oct. 22, 1940 'Phillipe Juiyc, i946 

